We’ve all seen it before. You are at a Halloween party when all of a sudden, a guy in a sombrero walks through shouting some offensively stereotypical phrases, or a lifestyle influencer posts a picture of herself at a music festival sporting a traditional Native American headdress. It is usually pretty easy to spot these obvious appropriating offenders, but what about those curious about a particular culture who wish to spread the beauty and history behind it without disrespecting its origins?
Walking the line between appreciation and appropriation can be a delicate process, but with a little bit of extra research and communication, you can properly celebrate the artistic influences from around the world. Appropriately participating in traditional customs and rituals can be an enriching experience that broadens perspective and connects people cross-culturally.
If you are interested in the respectful way to celebrate other cultures, take a look at these tips.
Defining the Difference
First, we need to understand the distinction between “appreciation” and “appropriation.”
Appreciation: when someone seeks to educate themselves and expand their understanding of a particular culture by asking questions and recognizing the sacred nature of their customs.
Appropriation: which means an individual rips off aspects of a culture they favor to appear worldly or trendy without any consideration for the history and meaning behind them.
An example of proper appreciation would be visiting a local craftsperson who specializes in creating handmade jewelry with methods passed down through generations of their culture. Hearing the history behind their product and observing the care put into each item is a perfect way to immerse oneself in their culture without disrespecting it – as opposed to buying a cheap replica manufactured by a fast-fashion company because it “looks cute.”
Listen and Learn
One of the best ways to avoid disrespecting someone’s culture is to have an open dialogue about it. Most of the time, people are more than happy to educate others on their origins and the traditions they follow as long as it is met with an open mind and pure intentions. If you have friends from a culture you are interested in, feel free to ask questions about their heritage to grasp the context behind the aspects you want to incorporate into your life.
When purchasing a garment or piece of art from a local shop, ask the artisan about the significance behind the item and the appropriate way to use it. There are also many resources online that have information on the meaning behind various artifacts and practices from different countries and the history behind their traditions. The pursuit of knowledge is the foundation for properly appreciating a different culture.
Use Context Clues
Sometimes elements of a culture can be taken out of context and ignorantly ripped off for personal gain. Although usually unintentional, it can be harmful to the members of the culture by dismissing its significance. Using a sample of music from a religious ceremony to add dimensionality to a song, for example, is disrespectful to the community the music is stolen from because it negates the sanctity of their tradition.
Understanding the context behind these traditions before using them to elevate one’s own status is the way to avoid offensive actions. Many groups come from a background of marginalization where aspects of their culture were ridiculed or forbidden, so when the same elements are superficially utilized in the mainstream, it is a slap in the face to those who introduced it.
It’s a Culture, Not a Costume
Probably the biggest culprit of appropriation is Halloween. The time of year when the lines of discrimination and common decency are blurred, and people waltz around in cheap knock-off versions of a country’s traditional garments. White-washed Cleopatras, caricatures of Native Americans, and sexy geishas march through the streets – unaware of their impact on stereotypes.
People forget the faces behind the culture they are stealing from and the real ethnic groups affected by their foolishness. Wearing costumes that ridicule their customs is xenophobia masquerading as tolerance and perpetuates the narrow-minded view of foreign cultures. Understanding the impact of these actions will help change perspectives surrounding these Halloween costumes and hopefully end them altogether.
Tradition Over Trends
We see it on runways, in magazines, and on social media. The newest fashion trend sweeping the nation is once again a rip-off from a marginalized ethnic group – only now socially acceptable after a celebrity wore it. It is this hypocrisy that fuels the outrage of individuals whose custom was once deemed unacceptable and now becomes a part of the mainstream, not as a celebration of their culture, but as a trendy new fashion statement with no regard for its origins.
One of the prime examples is when traditionally African American hairstyles are adopted by white celebrities after generations of black Americans being ostracised for them. Take the time to learn about the history behind the latest trends and understand their significance to certain cultures. These styles are often an exhibition of pride for their heritage and copying them undermines their story.
Give Credit Where Credit is Due
Where appreciation turns into appropriation is when someone tries to imitate a certain aspect of a different culture and claim it as their own idea or creation. When implementing these elements into a personal style, practice, or art, it is necessary to acknowledge the source that influenced it. Because many of these cultural characteristics are part of a community’s identity, there is a lot of weight behind adopting them.
Whether you wish to completely immerse yourself in a new culture or to implement pieces of it in your daily life, acknowledge the value of their influence and espouse their customs honorably by learning more about them and educating others along the way.
Invite Only
Often, the best way to avoid appropriating another culture is to only participate in their traditions when invited by them. Let’s say you are a guest at the wedding of a friend from India who asks you to wear a sari and adorn your hands with henna. In this scenario, you are celebrating their culture respectfully and are enjoying the festivities with them.
Should you, however, wear the sari and henna outside the context of the wedding? The answer is no. Those garments have historical and spiritual meaning, and using them as a fashion statement takes the significance out of it. Be an ally, and understand that being a guest to another person’s heritage is not a license to exploit it.
Examine Your Own Culture
Sometimes the finest way to understand the cultures of others is to look within ourselves. Empathy leads to progress, and examining the elements of our own heritage and the pillars to our identity will allow us to respect the traditions of others. Sharing our differences is a healthy way to open our minds to the various cultural influences around us. It is how society co-exists, and by respecting the contributions of other communities and learning the gravity behind them, we can hope to eliminate appropriation and only express appreciation.
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